Improvement in nautical logs



T. HOTCHKISS.

Nautical Log.

No. 45,042. Patented Nov. 15, 1864.

UNITED STATES TRUMAN HOTOHKISS, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN NAUTICAL LOGS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN Horcnxrss, of Stratford, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulNautical Log and Indicator; and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operationof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation'ofthe indicator with the inclosing-box cut away, and a diminished view ofthe winged log A andcord 0, attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a top view ofthe indicator and its inclosing-box and Fig. 3 is a side view of the boxinclosing the indicator, with its supporting frame and stand.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the drawings.

The nature of my invention consists in the employment of a win god logor propeller, A, in combination with a cord, 0, and a clockworkindicator, whereby (when said log is thrown into the water from a movingvessel or boat and allowed to drag) the distance passed over will alwaysbe correctly shown by the dial-hands of said indicator, the latter beingkept in any convenient place on board the vessel or boat.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow describe its construction and operation.

A is a cigar-shaped spindle, ten inches in length and one inch in itsgreatest diameter, provided with four wings or blades, 6 b b b, theshape of which is clear] y shown in Fig. 1. These wings are made ofsheet-brass or other suitable metal, four inches and a halflong and oneand a half wide, and are arranged on the spindle A spirally at an angleof forty-five degrees with its axis, like the blades of a propeller,being confined by nails or screws, as shown in Fig. 1, or in any otherobvious manner; or the spindle and wings may be cast in one piece of anysuitable metal. The size and propontions of this winged log orpropeller, however, may be obviously varied, provided the clockwork ofthe indicator be varied to correspond.

O is a cord, chain, or wire of any suitable material, intended to beabout thirty fathoms long, or sufliciently long to clear the eddiesproduced by the motion of the vessel, one end of said cord beingattached to the log, as

shown in Fig. 1, and the other to the outer end of the spindle D.

The clockwork or pinions of the indicator are inclosed in a frame ofsheet-brass or other suitable material, E being the top, F the bottom, Gthe back, and H the front; and this frame is inclosed in a box, of tinor other suitable material, U, provided with a glass cover, V, as shownin Fig. '1, there being a hole in one side for the spindle D, as shownin Fig. 3.

J is a U-shaped frame, the center of which is provided with a spindle,K, which turns freely in the platform L. Projecting from the oppositesides of the box U are two pivots, a a, which, passing through the upperends of the frame J, support the box and allow it to move in a verticalplane, the spindle K allowing it to move also in a horizontal plane, forthe purpose specified above.

The spindle D passes longitudinally through the center of the box, theback end of said spindle turning in the end G, while the front end restsand turns on four friction-rollers, I, which are arranged on axles fastin the front H and a strip of metal back of and parallel with the same,as shown in Fig. l. The front end of spindle D is provided with theendless screw T, which, engaging with the cogs of pinion 1, causes thelatter to rotate with its axle N, the extremities of which turn insuitable bearings in the top E and bottom F of the box.

Near the bottom of the axle N is a small pinion, 2, which actuates alarger pinion, 3,

attached to the axle 0, similar to axle N. Just above pinion 3 is asmall pinion, 4, of eight cogs, which actuates pinion 5, of eighty cogs,on the axle 1?. Above pinion 5 is a mall pinion, 6, of eight cogs, whichactuates pinion 7, of eighty cogs, on axle Q. Above pinion 7 is a smallpinion, 8, of eight cogs, which actuates pinion 9,0f eighty cogs, onaxle S. Above pinion 9 is a small pinion, 10, of eight cogs, whichactuates pinion ll, of eighty cogs, on axle R. The tops of the axles P QR S are provided with indices hi j f, as shown in Fig.2, the top of thebox E having four graduated circles, in the centers of which the axles PQ R S of the indices h i jf revolve, the first circle indicating units,the second tens, the third hundreds, and the fourth thousands of miles,or whatever the unit may be.

It being known how many revolutions the log A makes in a rod or mile, itis obviously easy to construct the clockwork to register the distancepassed over, as the revolutions of the log will be transmitted to thespindle D with accuracy by means of the connectingline C.

My invention is Very simple, cheap, and compact, and can be used asreadily as a 00111- pass on any ship, vessel, or boat, the distancepassed over being always shown by the hands of the indicator.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention,what I claim as new, and dcs're to secure by Letters Patent, is Theemployment of a winged log or propeller, A, in combination with the cord0 and clock-Work indicator, substantially as set forth, and for thepurpose described.

TRUMAN HOTGHKISS.

Witnesses:

GLAUDIUs B. GURTIs, STEPHEN S. BOOTH.

